Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II vs Nature Trekker AW II

[tommykjensen]

Anybody have experience with these backpacks?

Whats the biggest difference? The Phototrekker is slightly bigger but what else?

Which one would You choose?


I would need room for at least whats mentioned in my signature and

Speedlight 550EX
Charger
Extra Batteries
Maybe portabel storage

[Canuck]

my best advice is to go to the site: http://www.lowepro.com/pages/byStyle/backpack.htm and have a look. I have a Tenba DB-17C that you can get from B&H.

[tommykjensen]

my best advice is to go to the site: http://www.lowepro.com/pages/byStyle/backpack.htm and have a look. I have a Tenba DB-17C that you can get from B&H.

I have done that but I am looking for real life experiences.

[IanD]

Tommy,
I am currently using a PhotoTrekker AW, the original model. I can fit every piece of equipment that I own into it.
10D + Grip/100-400/400 prime/70-200IS/17-40/28-135/50 prime/all lens shades/charger and spare batteries/100 macro. In a couple of add on SlipLock pouchs I have the 550EX. I can even get my laptop into one of the front pockets as well as the charger for it and other assorted cables.
Now I never profess to being able to lift the damn thing when fully loaded, but everything does fit. I use it strictly for transporting everything and transfer the items I need for the day into my vest and a smaller shoulder bag if needed.
Hope this helps.

[tommykjensen]

Thanks, that was a lot :D

[Cadwell]

I have the Photo Trekker AW II. It's a great bag and holds a hell of a lot of kit. It is, however, very heavy when fully loaded and, particularly with the "day pack" attached, very bulky.

[PacAce]

Timmy, I have the Nature Trekker II backpack and it's big enough to hold my 70-200L and 100-400L lenses along with the other smaller lenses that I have. I bought it a couple of months ago but I haven't used it yet. I'm still using the smaller Tamrac backpack (5274) which lets me carry only one of the two long lenses. The reason I haven't used the Trekker yet is that it's more of a hiking backpack and not a "tote it anywhere" backpack like my Tamrac. The Trekker has this huge waist band that's not really shown in Lowepros website. This band is great for transferring the weight of the pack to your waist and, hence, good for hiking use but it's just makes the pack too bulky or unweildy for normal use.

So, if you're looking for a hiking backpack, get the Trekker series backpack. The Nature Trekker should be more than adequate for what you have. However, for everyday use, I'd go with something that doesn't have a waist band that makes the backpack look like it could fly if you put an engine in it. :)

[tommykjensen]

That good to know PacAce.

What I am looking for is a backpack I can use for travel. So I would need to be able have everything I need in it but yet it should not be too annoying to use. Bringing 2 bags on a vacation is not convenient.


No offense taken but my name is Tommy and not Timmy :wink:

[PacAce]

No offense taken but my name is Tommy and not Timmy :wink:

Oops, sorry, Tommy. I guess you can tell I wasn't wearing my reading glasses, huh? :)

Anyway, re the packback, I think the best thing before buying one is to go to a photo store and check them out. Although LowePro claims that the Nature Trekker is airliner carry-on compliant as far as size is concerned, the thick waist band just seems to make it cumbersome. You can't really fold it out of the way or anything so it just gets in the way. I wish they had make the waist band removable like they did with the should strap bands.

[tommykjensen]

The problem with these two bags is that no store in Denmark have it in stock. And one store said they could get both home for me to look at but beside a deposit they required that I had to buy one of them no matter what :( So I have to rely on what other people like You say, and I think the waist band could be a desiding factor - can it come off ? A shame if it can't.

[PacAce]

The problem with these two bags is that no store in Denmark have it in stock. And one store said they could get both home for me to look at but beside a deposit they required that I had to buy one of them no matter what :( So I have to rely on what other people like You say, and I think the waist band could be a desiding factor - can it come off ? A shame if it can't.

Tommy, the Trekker bags are really nice and you can fit a lot of stuff in there. I'll take some pictures of the bag from different angles either tonight or tomorrow and post them here so you can see for youself whether it's going to be ok for you with the waist band or not.

[tommykjensen]

That sounds great, thank You.

[PacAce]

OK, Tommy, as promised, here are some pictures of the Nature Trekker.

View of the side:

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7173.jpg


View of the side that rests against your back:

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7176.jpg


View from the bottom to give you an idea of the relative size of the waist band in relation to the rest of the backpack:

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7178.jpg


Here, I tried to bundle the waist band against the backpack to keep it tidy but it's not something you'd want to do all the time because you have to loosen the strap that secures the waist band around your waist. I unhooked the shoulder straps for a better view.

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7180.jpg


And here's what it looks like inside.

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7185.jpg

As you can see, you can get a lot of stuff in there. I've got the following in there:

EOS Elan camera body
100-400 IS L w/ hood
70-200 f/2.8 IS L w/ hood
28-135 IS
17-35 f/2.8 EX
50 f/2.8 EX Macro
1.4X II
550 EX

And that's just in the main compartment. There is more space for cards, batteries, cables, etc. in the inside pouch and a larger storage punch accessible from the outside for a lot of other things.

And, on top of that, there is a removable backpack that you can use for carry clothes, food, laptop (but it's not padded) either as a standalone backpack or attached to the Trekker. When you fill this sucker to capacity, I think you'll need a crane to hoist it up onto your back. :mrgreen:

Here are more pictures if you want to see the backpack from other angles:

http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7174.jpg
http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7175.jpg
http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7179.jpg
http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7181.jpg
http://www.tanseikai.com/tanseikai/images/others/lowepro/CRW_7182.jpg

[KirkM]

I'm pretty happy with my Mini-Trekker AW. I can load enough equipment into it to make it a real back breaker :)

Kirk

http://homepage.mac.com/messnerk/Backpack.jpg

[tommykjensen]

Ok, finally bougth the Nature Trekker AW II!

Wauv its big, actually bigger than I thought :shock:

And I actually wonder if airlines will accept the size of it?

[PacAce]

Actually, Tommy, it's not as big as the roll-alone bags that some people take on board so I don't think you'll have any problems with it. LowePro does rate it as "Airline Carry-on". However, you might have a problem with the smaller airplanes but there, they will usually stow the bags in a special carry-on baggage bay just before you board the plane, although, I must admit, that thought wouldn't sit too well with me if that were my camera gear in the bag.

[blinking8s]

when i took mine out of the box, i was a little pissed it was so big...after a little breakin in, figuring out the features and getting the inside set up, it fills up quick, and is a great bag out on the trail. And yes the airlines will let you take it in on the plane.